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A Perfect Windstar Wedding

Sail Date:
June 2013

Destination:
Greece

Embarkation:
Istanbul

Very rarely in our lives are we lucky or privileged enough to be able to use the word PERFECT for an experience or encounter with people. Our voyage last week on the Wind Star is one of those rare opportunities. To say that our expectations for our wedding were met is a gross understatement. Captain Leech, Jason, the Hotel Manager, Kristy, Guest Services Manager, and the entire crew and hotel staff could not have possibly done more or showed more genuine concern and real caring for my family. From the moment we stepped aboard and introduced ourselves to Captain Leech and Jason we knew that we had made the right choice for this most significant of life events. Captain Leech with his warm disposition and genuineness was matched only by the commitment of Jason to deliver the best experience possible for us. This was delivered beyond anything we could imagine by Kristy Lamarche who, from the moment we were introduced to her, told us not to worry about a thing because she was handling More
every detail for us. To say that Kristy delivered on this promise does not do justice to how incredibly well planned our wedding was. Kristy used every ounce of her previous experience as a wedding planner to make this special event something that could never be surpassed. Her attention to detail, from the flowers for the women to a fantastic wedding cake and special table overlooking the aft deck of the yacht was beyond words. The spa staff, Alice and Beth, treated my wife and our two daughters like princesses and could not have done more for them, from hors douerves and champagne to just genuine caring and happiness in making all 3 of them look more beautiful than they have ever looked in their lives. Captain Leech is one of those rare leaders who shows his abilities and competency, not by overt actions, but in everything thing he does. His humor and warmth are only matched by his total commitment to making every passenger feel at home and 100% satisfied in every way. The day after the ceremony, his only concern was that he had done well and lived up to our expectations. For a Master of a vessel such as Wind Star to be so humble and caring is beyond words.

After many cruises on the larger ships, where everything is driven by regimented routine and geared to increasing revenue, it was an absolute pleasure to experience the Windstar philosophy of meeting and exceeding each passengers expectations in ways that we could not even anticipate. One example is how Kristy arranged for crew members to help photograph and video the wedding. On a larger ship, this would have been delivered with a major charge for services, yet on the Wind Star this was just one more way to make our experience better. My family is now committed to the yacht experience and will never cruise the big ships again. We have already left a deposit for our next cruise and look forward to the inauguration of service for the Star Pride next year. We are already considering a one year anniversary cruise back to Santorini, where our wedding took place.

I can never express the gratitude my wife and 3 children have to Captain Leech. Jason and Kristy for everything that they did in executing our wedding. I also cannot fail to make sure that Travis, Karma. Bobby and all of the rest of the hotel management staff are also mentioned as each and every one of them went out of their way for us and literally could not do more for this special day. I also want to thank Jillian Wikstrom, in the Seattle office, for all of her efforts in the pre-planning stages of our trip.

My wife and 3 children cannot thank Windstar Cruises enough for giving us a wedding and experience that will never be surpassed and remembered with real fondness and warmth for Captain Leech and the entire Wind Star crew.

If you are considering a special event or just want to be treated like family on your own private yacht then the only choice you have is to pick either the Wind Star, Wind Spirit or Wind Surf. I know that these are the only choices my family and I will make.

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Cabin review: Wind Star Owner Suite Deck One 107

The suite was very nicely laid out with plenty of storage and even a lighted make-up area for my wife. The cabin steward was incredible and the entire suite was kept in a pristine condition throughout our cruise. Fresh flowers and candy were delivered daily. There was an exceptional amount of storage for a ship the size of Wind Star and we felt extremely comfortable with our accommodations.

Ephesus

The tour of Ephesus was exceptional and the guide, Ayshin, spoke perfect English and was extremely warm and engaging. The highlight of the trip was a visit to a wonderful bed and breakfast in Sirince for a private lunch of the traditional Turkish cuisine.